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In ways that few other activities can, sports have long shaped a country's identity and united its people. I can definitely see this paradigm in America. From the early days of baseball to the rise of football and basketball, American sports have evolved alongside the nation itself, becoming more than just games — they have been and continue to be a way of uniting and healing a country with a complex past.
In the early 20th century, baseball emerged as America's pastime. Major League Baseball’s integration, most notably through Jackie Robinson’s groundbreaking entry in 1947, marked a critical moment in the civil rights movement, demonstrating how sports can serve as a platform for social change.
Since great athletes like not only Robinson but also Larry Doby joined MLB, sports in the U.S. have made significant strides in providing all communities the opportunity to prove their greatness. Six percent of MLB players are African American as of this year, compared to 1.5% in 1949, the year after Jackie Robinson’s debut. It may not seem like a lot, but the victory for America is that this number has increased, and people are not up in arms when they see Black players. Black athletes were given access to equal opportunities, and those who make it to the big leagues have proven they deserve to be there.
Moving over to the hardwood, one could argue that basketball has made an even greater impact on our nation. It started when players like Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain and Elgin Baylor changed the landscape of the league and how the game was played. Their excellence opened doors for other players. Fast forward to the 1980s with Magic Johnson and the 1990s with Michael Jordan — fans, whether Black or white or anything else, wanted to rally behind these superstars. That is a big deal and something that propelled our country forward even more.
The gridiron has had a more modern impact on race relations. Two of the league’s top three quarterbacks are African American. The significance of this is that when given the opportunity, Black athletes prove they can handle leadership and strategic positions on the field, such as quarterback, as well as the physically demanding positions requiring brute strength and endurance. There was a time when sports fans actually believed Black players didn’t have the intellectual capacity to be quarterbacks. From Jalen Hurts to Jayden Daniels, such nonsense has been thoroughly disproven.
It really wasn’t that long ago when Americans of different races were not allowed to walk on the same sidewalks, drink from the same water fountains or swim in the same pools without major conflict.I believe that, in large part, because Black athletes were given access to opportunities in sports, many of the awful stereotypes of inferiority have been broken. The same must happen in every place — from the boardroom to the classroom. There must always be access to opportunities to fairly compete for a place in the winner’s circle.
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